The Dillon tribune., 1887-02-11
HENRY AND DuSELSuN.


Henry and Donelst,M We're important uu,..
federate stations Henry was captured Feb.
Q, 1862 A rising young brigadier general,
named Ulysses =. Grant, was ut the head Of
the force that took it. The victory called Tor
tho first time the attention Of the country ia
this Ofhcer. Tho victory at Fort Henry, too,
was, strictly speaking, the beginning of the
turning Of tho tide in favor of the north. A
gloom like the fog of a winters day had beer,
ON the country till th-.'. Men i. the north
~s,.- .s.>h.<, u hcro-.. ,aan who .hvuru
be strong enough to take the head of affairs
Ind t'asn heart sickenirlg failure into victory.
Tho hero was developing, though they
know it not. He who was to lift the cloud
was the silent man that, even in the midst OF
the victory of Fort Dmelson, was ''too busy
to write a wO,rl'
A notable point is the shortnes, Of Grants
dispatches at all times. A few messages, of
not many lines, to his superior officer tell the
story OF both Henry and Donelson. Gen.
Halleck, then al st. Louis, was in command
OF tho department of tho Missouri. Grant
dispatched Halleck, Feb q. that Fort Henry
had fallen. He added these words:
II shall take and destroy Fort Donelson ON
the 9Th and return to Fort Henry"
But he had undertaken larger contract
than even he could fiji in the time he pro.
Pssetl- ihe freshets and overtiows, which al
ways work such mischief in the south and
west' prevented, for one thing. The roads
leading to Donclson were q sea of mud. By
the i@ckwater of creeks ON each side Of tho
Tort there was sen of water two miles in.
land from the fort.
ihe Cumberland runs north al the pciut
selectcd Tor Fort Donelson. About u milo
south OF the fort. up the river, is the little
TOWN OF Dover. This hamlet was the head.
quarters ~ the Confederate general, Gideon
>. Pillow, during the siege. It was in Dover
that the last Confederate council If war be-.
tween liens. Floyd Pillow, Buckne... Col n,
D. Forrest and Others took place, previous to
tne surrender of the fort to Grant. Be!oY
Fort l"aclson. on the north 'licknan's
creek .mpties' into the Cum!.er's Ill., II was
oNert"w~ tor miles, thu er up to n
nors"s breast. Grant could t attack the
iort from that side. On other hand.
however, IN ease tue Confeder. Is. being hard
pressed, wished to make n sally out from the
Tort and escape by the Fort Henry road. ns.
IN fart, they did wish to do, this ,verilowcti
creek would prevent them. So, on the whole.
Tue H'ck"ater OF Hickman's creek was an NIL.
vantage to both hesieger and besierc,l, Above
Fort Dcnelson. and between that and Dover.
was another stream wi water, Indian crcel,
also ovcrilowr, "'
Mua: There was never anything like it.
1t was half les deep" as specially mentioned
IN Confederate official dispatches. Grants sol.
aiers iairlv wadetl in mud "up to their eyes-
when they marched from Fort Henry to- le-
siege Dover and Donclson. 1t few from tho
horses hoofs like rain and pcppcre,l man and
beast, wh"" the cavalry splashe,l hither nni,
th'ther, in the win fancy that they wcra
trotting. 1t rolled from the Gun carr;a ~
wheels and fell in huge masses at every turn
the artillery made.
1t must le remembered that it WAS Grnnt
br'gad'er general, who had urged the retiuc.
ton OF Forts Henry and Donelsou. The nh,
5ect to be gained by it was the clearing Of the
Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. and thn
occupation Of Tennessee and its lines Of rail.
way. Grant was at Cairo and r,,eata.llv
urged Halleck to let him visit 81. Ionis
Leave was at length given. Grant y;sits.i
bis superior and began to unfold his plan 70,
the capture Of the two forts. But Hallech
silenced him at once and snubbel hin,
sharply. ~ "''''
judge Force, in his book, says that Gran,
'returneti to Cairo believing his commsnds.